Hot melt sequins and methods of applying these sequins are disclosed. A method of attaching two components includes stitching a hot melt sequin to one of the components and heating the hot melt sequin to bond the two components together. Sequins can also be applied to articles to create structural elements such as heel counters, toe covers, and lace cages. Sequins can be applied in 1D, 2D, and 3D patterns as well as in dispersive patterns. Sequins can be applied to vary the abrasion properties of a portion of an article.

A shoe includes a flexible, bistable heel flap to facilitate access to a foot-receiving cavity of the shoe. The flexible, bistable heel flap moves between an open stable position and an upright position suitable for use. At the open stable position, the flexible, bistable heel flap bends away from the foot-receiving cavity of the shoe. A fastener may secure the flexible, bistable heel flap in the upright position suitable for use.

An article of footwear with an upper including a ribbon structure is disclosed. The ribbon structure comprises ribbon sections running in at least two different directions. Ribbon sections are connected at nodes. Between nodes portions of ribbon act like links joining the nodes. The links can be arranged in various geometries, including a rectangular grid and a triaxial grid. The ribbon structure may extend the entire length of the article of footwear, and may extend through a forefoot, midfoot and heel.

Disclosed is a shoe having a compressible lattice structure in a heel portion to facilitate rapid, easy donning and doffing of shoes. In example embodiments, the lattice structure includes a plurality of interconnected, overlapping, intersecting and/or woven ribs defining a plurality of apertures. The lattice structure has an open position in which the shoe opening is expanded to facilitate reception of a foot of an individual wearing the rapid-entry shoe, and a closed position in which the shoe opening is smaller to retain the foot within the rapid-entry shoe.

A knitted component may include a ridge structure and a channel structure. The ridge structure is biased to curl about a first axis in a first direction toward a compacted position. The channel structure is biased to curl about a second axis in a second direction toward a compacted position. The first direction is opposite the second direction. Courses of the ridge structure extend in the same direction as the first axis. Courses of the channel structure extend in the same direction as the second axis.

An upper for an article of footwear, the upper including a base layer defining a least a portion of the upper and polymer threads stitched to the base layer. The polymer threads may include a core composed of a first material and a coating composed of a second material, where the melting point of the first material is higher than the melting point of the second material. The polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer by the coating of the polymer threads. The polymer threads may include one or more polymer thread sets stitched in pattern(s) on area(s) of an outer surface of the base layer to provide targeted characteristics to area(s) on the upper. In some embodiments, the polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer with heat and/or pressure.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe upper, including the steps of: providing at least one stretchable portion on the shoe upper; stretching the at least one stretchable portion of the shoe upper for adapting a size of the shoe upper; and permanently attaching at least one rigid element at least partly on the stretched stretchable portion so that the stretched stretchable portion is locked.

An article of footwear includes a sole and an upper at least partially formed of a textile element. The textile element includes a yarn matrix having a plurality of interlocked strands oriented in predetermined directions. A structural element may be captured within the matrix at selected locations. In operation, the matrix is stitched onto a temporary substrate. The substrate is removed and the article coupled to a sole structure to form the article of footwear.

In one aspect, an upper for an article of footwear may include a knit element, a collar area configured to form an ankle opening, and a cuff in the collar area. The cuff may be at least partially formed by the knit element and may include a ribbed knit structure of the knit element. In another aspect, an upper for an article of footwear may include a knit element with a first area, the first area including a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first side may be formed of at least 30% more material than the second side such that the first area is configured to curve convexly away from the first side.

A warp knit element for an article of footwear includes a plurality of cell structures that extend from a sole structure to a lacing region of an upper.